Already and still
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Already, still, not yet, no longer
English already, still, not yet, and no longer do not place an event in time. Each compares what is true now with a change: has it come, or not? That is about how things stand now, not when something happened, so Ageben uses four /h/ words, not a tense. (cue: each root pictures the stage the change is at)
| Ageben | Use | English | Same root as | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
havem | the change has happened | already | avel hatch | 🐣: the chick is already out |
hawum | the state goes on | still | awul anchor | ⚓: the ship is held where it was |
helom | the change is expected but has not come | not yet | elol seedling | 🌱: not grown yet |
huvum | the state has stopped | no longer / not anymore | uvul wilt | 🥀: no longer fresh |
zazozon hawum vowurol.z-Azozon | h-still | v-walk
"Azozon is still walking."
zazozon helom vowurol.z-Azozon | h-not-yet | v-walk
"Azozon hasn't walked yet."
zazozon huvum vowurol el bohehal.z-Azozon | h-no-longer | v-walk | [at | b-house]
"Azozon doesn't walk at the house anymore."
The ending says how settled the current stage is, on the same settled-to-passing scale as time horizon. Use -m when it could change back, or when you do not know. Use -l when it is not expected to. Use -r when it holds only for now: it is likely to change back soon, or, on not yet, the change may never come.
| Ageben | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
havel | done, and it will stay done | already, for good |
hawul | goes on, with no end in sight | still, and it will keep on |
helol | not yet, but it is sure to come | not yet, but it will |
huvul | stopped, and it will not come back | never again |
haver | done, but likely to come undone | already, for now |
hawur | goes on, but about to end | still, for now |
helor | not yet, and it may never come | not yet, maybe never |
huvur | stopped for now; expected to resume | paused / not for now |
zalazun havel vudurul.z-Alazun | h-already.lasting | v-departure
"Alazun has already left, for good."
zazozon huvur vowurol.z-Azozon | h-no-longer.for-now | v-walk
"Azozon has stopped walking for now." (expected to start again)
When only one /ɡ/ adjective is still or no longer so, write the same word under /w/ immediately before that adjective.
zazozon dogozel wawum guzemel vayebel.z-Azozon | [d-cat | [w-still | g-sleepy]] | v-see
"Azozon sees a cat that is still sleepy."
Ever / never
English has ever / has never asks whether something happened at least once, at no particular time. Use already havem with sometimes har (restrictors): the change has come, on some unnamed occasion. For has never, use bare hal (never).
zazozon havem vazuvol har.z-Azozon | h-already | v-swim | h-sometimes
"Azozon has swum at some point."
zazozon vazuvol hal.z-Azozon | v-swim | h-never
"Azozon has never swum."
Practice
Short drills for Beginner. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a train platform
New words:
| English | Ageben | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| already | havem | 🐣 from hatch |
| still | hawum | ⚓ from anchor |
| no longer | huvum | 🥀 from wilt |
Review:
| English | Ageben |
|---|---|
| Azozon | azozon |
| Alazun | alazun |
| Ahelan | ahelan |
| walk | vowurol |
| sing | vozuyel |
| see | vayebel |
| departure | vudurul |
| school | uzahal |
| not yet | helom |
| sleepy | uzemel |
English → Ageben
1. Azozon is still walking.
Show answer
zazozon hawum vowurol.
z-Azozon | h-still | v-walk
2. Azozon has sung at some point.
Show answer
zazozon havem vozuyel har.
z-Azozon | h-already | v-sing | h-sometimes
3. Azozon doesn't walk at the school anymore.
Show answer
zazozon huvum vowurol el buzahal.
z-Azozon | h-no-longer | v-walk | [at | b-school]
Ageben → English
1. zalazun helol vudurul.
Show answer
z-Alazun | h-not-yet.lasting | v-departure
Alazun hasn't left yet, but will.
2. zalazun havel vudurul.
Show answer
z-Alazun | h-already.lasting | v-departure
Alazun has already left, for good.
3. zazozon dahelan wawum guzemel vayebel.
Show answer
z-Azozon | [d-Ahelan | [w-still | g-sleepy]] | v-see
Azozon sees an Ahelan who is still sleepy.
Pick one
1. Azozon is still singing. zazozon hawum vozuyel. or zazozon hawur vozuyel.
Show answer
zazozon hawum vozuyel.
z-Azozon | h-still | v-sing
-m says the singing goes on and could change; hawur would say it is about to end.
Fix it
1. Azozon hasn't walked yet. zazozon hawum vowurol.
Show answer
zazozon helom vowurol.
z-Azozon | h-not-yet | v-walk
helom is not yet; hawum is still.